Lapis Lazuli Meaning and Healing Properties

Interested in Lapis Lazuli meaning? This piece might feed your curiosity. In the sea of precious stones and crystals, Lapis Lazuli is as old as time and extremely popular among different civilizations. Different civilizations used it as jewelry, amulets, carvings and much more for thousands of years.

Its deep blue color soon became the color of the kings and emperors, due to its royal meaning to the kingdoms. Aside from that, the meaning of lapis lazuli is much deeper, and in this article, we’ll break it down.

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Seeking the Origin of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is often called just lapis. Its records go as far as 6000 years ago, with its earliest deposits hidden behind a rough terrain of the West Hindu-Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. Aside from the earliest deposits in the Afghani mountains, lapis also had other ancient deposits in the Mehrgarh, Caucasus and the Republic of Mauritania.

Today, it can be found all across the world. In The United States, the most popular locations include Colorado and California. Aside from the US, there are lapis lazuli mines in Pakistan, Angola, India, Russia, Chile, Argentina and Canada.

Where does its name come from?

Lapis Lazuli originates from a Latin word “lapis” which means “stone.” The lazuli part originates from Arabic and Persian areas that used the word “lazaward,” representing the lapis stone, as well as the location where it was mined.

Another inclusion in the stone’s name comes from an English word “azure” which means blue, as well as “Azzurro” from Italy, “azur” from Poland, “azur” from Spanish and the Romanian word “azuriu.”

Due to its rich historical origin, lapis lazuli is considered one of the most essential gemstones for both spirituality and science. It is one of the most beautiful opaque blue gemstones, but also significant in the jewelry industry.

A story of 4,000 years old

The historical records suggest that the first jewelry made of lapis lazuli was made in Neolith. Neolithic men would create a small hole through the stone and string blue pebbles through a thread. The 4,000 years old records show that Egyptians created necklaces, amulets, statues, cylinder seals and much more. They chose locations that would make attention to the figure high.

Ancient Egyptians even created artwork and architecture using lapis lazuli. Moreover, they used it as cosmetic tools as well, crafting jewelry for the hair. Lastly, it was used as a way to worship Egyptian Goddess Isis, which just shows the power of this ancient stone.

Being popular in the kingdom, pharaohs and priests of ancient Egypt were often utilizing this gemstone. Pharaoh King Tut, once unearthed, was discovered to be buried with lapis lazuli as a decoration.

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Great artists loved it too…

While ancient times don’t foresee the uses of lapis lazuli outside Egypt and Persia that much, the beautiful blue stone found its purpose again during the Renaissance times.

The merchants and people of prestige estimated it to be more valuable than gold. It was even used as one of the main decorations for the Sistine Chapel decorated by Michelangelo who pulverized lapis lazuli.

Other artists like Fra Angelico and Da Vinci often used lapis lazuli for their masterpieces. Artists used them so they’d manifest the color of heaven. Given how important heaven was in Renaissance Christianity, it’s understandable why lapis lazuli was more precious than gold.

Lapis Lazuli was also mentioned through many religions. The Holy Bible associates it to Moses and his tablets, while it’s also present in Buddhism, Hinduism, and various other cultures and religions.

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Composition and Formation

If you want to study lapis lazuli meaning on a deeper level, we believe that highlighting a bit about its chemical composition will also be extremely helpful.

Lapis Lazuli consists of Lazurite in the highest amount. The rate is between 25% and 40% depending on the quality. It also consists of Sodalite which contributes to its blue color, as well as white calcite. The metallic yellow pyrite also contributes to its opaque color.

Although there are materials that make its color outstandingly blue, the real reason for its dominating blue color which is the main ingredient for royalty is the abundance of trifulsur radical anion inside the crystal. At times, it also appears translucent and can have an uneven structure.

A bit of geology?

Lapis lazuli forms in a geological process called contact metamorphism. It’s a result of a crystalline marble forming due to the narrow temperature increase as the magma turns into cooler rocks. That’s when the Lapis Lazuli forms. This process also defines lapis lazuli rather as a rock formed in the magma than a mineral. The different compositions will also contribute to the different colors of different lapis lazuli rocks.

When seeking the perfect quality of lapis lazuli, keep in mind it’ll be more expensive. However, the best quality options are those that boast less calcite and pyrite but more materials that contribute to its clear blue color.

Lapis lazuli can be found in different textures rather than pure blue. You can find ones that appear to be more blue-green in color, more azure-like.

Also, there are samples with a blue-purplish texture which also looks stylish and fits great on different jewelry. If the stone has too much of pyrite in itself, it’ll appear to have a greener texture compared to other samples.

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Lapis Lazuli Meaning

Even after thousands of years since its discovery, Lapis Lazuli remains among the most sought-after stones. Even since the earliest days, its meaning hasn’t changed much. It represents the symbol of prestige, honor, and royalty. Those who wore and wielded it were more powerful in society.

In Egyptian culture, those who had it were the closest to the gods. It is also a symbol of vision and spiritualism. Those who seek to find the truth and wisdom may as well use lapis lazuli to achieve it.

The Lapis Lazuli also decorated the sarcophagus of gold where King Tutankhamen rests. It’s no secret that it was commonly used as the burial decoration of different Egyptian kings, queens and the rest of the rich people.

Color matters

Aside from being in the jewelry, priests turned it into powder colors to make eye shadows, elixirs, and regular dyes. It was extremely popular because of the celestial blue color which complemented the dull desert environment.

In fact, lapis earned its numerous names and meanings due to its unearthly beauty. Its celestial blue color was highly regarded, and many artists derived ultramarine dye using lapis.

In the old testament, lapis lazuli is often referred to as sapphire, which at that time was unknown at the particular part of the world. In history, it’s considered the fifth store of the High Priest’s breastplates, as well as the breastplates of priests at a later time.

Although today, stones rich in pyrite are regarded as those with lesser quality, many kingdoms enjoyed using it because of the gold flecks caused by pyrites. Another variation of low-quality lapis lazuli is a light blue version with whiter flecks caused by calcite. Many still call it denim lapis.

Other meanings also included the sight of the heavenly sky. The celestial blue would represent the sky, while the golden flecks would be the stars.

Egyptians also meditated on those colors, feeling the supernatural force that would bring fortune and change their life for the better. Priests and other royalty often dyed their garments with lapis lazuli color powder to showcase how close to the gods they were.

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Far beyond ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt wasn’t the only place where lapis was used for spiritual purposes. Ancient Persia and pre-Columbian America also utilized it for the royalty and their rituals. There too, it was the symbol of the starry night.

The Islamic countries often used it for protection from the “evil eye.” Although Greek and Roman empires didn’t use it too much for spiritual purposes, it was a very loved ornament.

Rulers in medieval Europe believed in the heavenly powers of lapis lazuli, believing that it could contact with angels and the God to sway away from the evil spirits and darkness.

Many empires and kingdoms used it as a guide during wars and battles and sought wisdom through it. It was also processed into powder there, although its production into ultramarine color was fairly expensive.

In Buddhism, it was believed that Lapis could bring spiritual balance and peace. It delivered freedom of the negativity.

Catherine the Great favored lapis so much, that she decorated her entire room and wing in the palace with Lapis Lazuli ornaments. She painted the walls and fireplaces to resemble the ancient stone. She also decorated the mirror and painting frames to be the same color.

You are a modern human, you say?

Today, it is believed that Lapis Lazuli is ideal for the people who seek the truth and want to unveil the secrets laying in the future. That said, ideal careers that involve lapis as a gemstone include journalists, executives, and CEOs as well as psychologists who seek to help others and make them see the truth.

The stone also contributes to better analysis skills which are great for historians, archeologists, lawyers, and writers. It stimulates intellectual abilities and encourages critical thinking.

If you have a child that is struggling at school, lapis lazuli is ideal because it will lead them towards better focus and motivate them to study and work harder. If you think you have memory problems and want to get better at concentrating, carry lapis lazuli with you, either as part of jewelry or in the purse or pocket.

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Need better conversations?

Lapis Lazuli will also inspire sincerity and honesty of heart. It will encourage you to speak more openly and confidently, as well as write. It is behind the practice of deep communicating and inspires better lifestyle habits. The stone will also help you create everlasting friendships and bring harmony in the relationship.

If you want to make a lapis crystal grid, it will bring harmony and spiritual satisfaction to your home, family, and friends. It also soothes temperament and calms anger, it’s ideal for dealing with harsh days of puberty, or disorders like Asperger’s syndrome, autism, and other disorders.

Lastly, as it’s suitable for writers and journalists, lapis inspires creativity and artistic thinking. It’s great for overcoming stage-fright, so it’s great for public performers like comedians and singers. Carry it with yourself if you want to get promotion and recognition for your hard work at the job.

Lapis Lazuli Healing Properties

Lapis lazuli has various healing properties, mainly because it’s associated with throat and third eye chakras in our body, meaning that it’s responsible for the energy flow and channel in those body nodes. If those two are in disbalance, lapis lazuli is ideal for restoring the flow and strength. It serves the element of water and vibration number 3. That said, it comes with a lot of healing properties.

When it comes to healing, as mentioned above, lapis will help you seek inner truth and inner power. When you’re confused yourself, when you don’t know where you’re heading, lapis lazuli will guide you towards self-discovery and empowerment. It will teach you, love, as towards others, as towards yourself.

It is a stone that stimulates critical and analytical thinking. That said, it sparks intuition and self-confidence. It enhances your instincts and channels them in a way to see the truth while remaining sincere towards yourself and your capabilities.

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It is a creative stone, so it encourages self-awareness and self-expression, helping you with your artistic work. If ethical personality means something to you, it will help you be more compassionate, and inspire morality towards humanity. Meanwhile, it’ll encourage you to have a more objective view of the environment and not take everything said to you to your heart.

When it comes to physical healing, it boosts the immune system and cleans your blood. It’s super-effective if you have problems with respiratory infections or high blood pressure. Lastly, it’s effective at healing insomnia.

To Wrap Up

Lapis Lazuli is a breath-taking gemstone with deep and spiritual meaning, as well as numerous healing properties that make it popular and wanted for thousands of years.

We hope that this piece leads you to a better understanding of it, and harness the best of its power. Just be careful, it ranks only at 5.5 on Mohs scale of hardness meaning it’s prone to scratches. Make sure to remove it before exercising or doing rigorous physical activities.

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